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Nature Journal 1

Nature Journal 1: Point Pleasant Park

Mariah Straight

Department of Biology: Saint Mary’s University

BIOL 1202: Organismal & Ecological Biology

Dr. Jennifer McDonald

29 January 2023
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1. The starting date for the observation was January 29th.

2. I observed at point pleasant park which is not far from the school. I walked there which took

about 20 minutes. Point pleasant park is located on the southern tip of the Halifax peninsula. The

observation was on the first few trails located near the bus stop and eventually I walked near the

water where the beach is and the parking lot.

3. The temperature was very cold outside. It was windy and the ground was wet from the rain

from days previous. There were a lot of clouds in the sky and not much sunshine.

4. Description of what you see, smell, hear, and feel during your observation period: 10 marks

I saw many difference species of trees including scots pine, douglas fir, norway spruce, and birch

trees. There was also a lot of moss by tiny streams where I saw squirrels and heard the water

running. There were people walking their dogs off leashes and the dogs were barking and

playing together. There were faint smells of pine, but the air was mostly fresh due to it being

winter. I felt mostly cold as the wind was blowing a lot and causing the trees to move back and

forth. I also felt the soft moss near trees as well as the bark on them which was soft from the rain.

5. Additional details about the specific observation you have made, using primary and non-

primary sources: 20 marks (between parts 4 and 5, the description and additional details, your

nature journal should be 1-2 pages double-spaced)

Amongst all of the trees in point pleasant park, the Norway spruce trees are some of the most

common to come across. They fill the park along with some of the other mentioned species. In

good weather, these trees can grow up to 5 feet tall within a year. (Wind break trees) This species
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is helpful when it comes to reforestation and due to the location experiencing previous damages,

this tree has an impact on maintaining a healthy forest. Their prominent bases make them

distinguishable from fir trees which are also present in point pleasant park. “Spruce needles are

generally four-sided and can be rolled between the fingers. Norway spruce is the exception, as its

needles are flat and pointed.” (Montréal Space for Life) There were also many people visiting the

park on this particular day, striking an interest in what benefits people may receive from

participating in nature. Studies have shown that “Compared with other urban spaces, urban parks

have a higher number of green spaces and plant landscapes, which can reduce air pollution on a

local scale, block some urban noise, and alleviate environment stresses such as the urban heat

island effect.” (Zhang, J et al. 2023) There is a great importance of having these environmental

spaces for people to enjoy as there are many benefits that are not easily found in other areas. This

is especially the case while living in a city where quiet and nature are not always readily

available. I felt very much more in tune with nature after going to the park and I got to admire

the different kinds of trees and sounds. I also went by the water where there were seagulls and

ducks swimming. Watching them live in their natural element was enjoyable to watch. The

seagulls made a lot of noise and were most likely doing so due to the amount of people nearby.

This is a habitat for many kinds of species however the cold weather did not bring all of them

out.
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6. References

Montréal Space for Life. Norway spruce. https://m.espacepourlavie.ca/en/green-pages/norway-

spruce
Wind break trees. Norway Spruce: Picea Abies. https://www.windbreaktrees.com/norway-spruce

Zhang, J., Yan, H., & Wang, D. (2023). Effects of Acoustic Environment Types on Stress Relief

in Urban Parks. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(2), 1082.

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021082

7. Image or video or sound recording

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